Boiler system



Jan. 13,1942. H. H. WEINING 2,270,097

BOILER SYSTEM Filed Sept. 16, 1936 `-4 Sheets-Sheet l Jano 13, 1942. H. H. WEINING Y 2,270,097

BOILER SYSTEM Filed Sept. 16, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. H. WEINING BOILER SYSTEM Jan. 13,1942.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 13, 1942. l| H WElNlNG 2,270,097

, BOILER SYSTEM Filed Sept. 16, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 13, 1942 BOILER SYSTEM Harry H. Weining, Erie, Pa., assigner to Northern Equipment Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaI implication septemberA 16, 193s, serial No." 101,114

1 Claim.

This invention relates to boiler systems, and it has for its object providing improved means for feeding water to the boiler automatically and in accordance with the steam consumption of the system. In the proper operation of boiler systems it is desirable to feed Water to the boiler in response to the Variations in the Water level elevations in the boiler, so as to keep the level always Within a certain range; and, as material changes in steam consumption affect materially the water needs and hence the water level, it is desirable to feed the water more or less in response to these steam changes. Hence the general object of my inventionis to feed the water in response to water level changes in the boiler and concurrentlyin response to steam consumption changes.

The specic object of my invention is 'to provide suitable apparatus for concurrently and automatically controlling the flow of water to the boiler in response to both water level and steam flow changes. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings andthe following description thereof.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation, more or less diagrammatic, of a boiler system Vwhich embodies some of the features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a feed water valve and controlling means therefor which mai7 be used in carrying out my invention; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 2 at 90 therefrom; Fig. 4 is a similar View of modif-led apparatus for a similar purpose; Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a further modification of the apparatus; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Fig. 6; and Figs. 8 and'9 illustrate further modifications of apparatus suitable for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 1 shows the feed Water valve I3 connected in the-water pipe II ofthe boiler I2, in an ordinary manner. The valve is operated by the controlling apparatus I3. This apparatus is affected by the Water level changes in the boiler by means of any suitable feed Water regulator, such as the thermostatic tube I4; and the apparatus is also affected by the steam flow from the boiler by any suitable means.

The apparatus I3, Fig. 2, comprises a casing IS, in the wall of which is rotatably mounted a rod Il. Fixed to the rod is an arm I 8 arranged to operate in any ordinary manner the plunger I9 of the feed water valve I0. Also fixed to the rod I1, outside of the casing, is an arm 2D which is arranged to be operated by the tube I4 in an ordinary manner by means-of the lever 2I and the strut 22. In this case, however, the arm 20 is operated by the strut 22 by means of a iioating lever 23.

While any suitable means responsive to the steam flow from the boiler may be used to assist in operating the valve I0, yel-l in this instance I take advantage of the fall in steam pressure between the inlet and the outlet of the superheater 25, Fig. 1. Connected respectively to the inlet and the outlet of the superheater are pipes 26 and 2l.. 'Ihe ldifferential pressure thus produced in these pipes is applied, in an ordinary manner, to the diaphragm 28, andv this diaphragm operates, in an ordinary manner,l the arm 29 which is fixed outside the casing 3U to a rod 3|- rotatably mounted in the casing wall. A link 32 connects4 the arm 29 with the end of the lever 23; and a link 33 connects the central portion of the lever 23 with the arm 20.

When the boiler is in operation any increase in the water level elevation in the boiler will raise the lever 2|, and the outer end of the lever 23, the arm 20, and thus will close more the valve I0. In case of a decrease in the water level there Willvybe a reversal of this process. In case of an increase in steam flow the differential steam pressure between the inlet and the outlet of thev superheater will increase. This will raise the diaphragm 28 and lower the arm 29 and the arm 20, and thus will, raise more the plunger of the valve I0 and will thus increase the flow of Water to meet the new needs.

It will thus be seen that the water level responsive means and the steam ow responsive means will at all times affect the valve opening entirely independently of the other means. If

either of these means is rendered inoperative theother means will continue to control the valve opening just as it did before. For instance the Water level apparatus may be .rendered inoperative by shutting the valves. 35, and the steam flow apparatus by closing the valves 36 or opening the valve 31.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modied form of apparatus in which the feed water valve is operated by the feed Water regulator in an ordinary manner by means of a. strut 4I and a lever 42. But in this case the lever is a floating lever. The lever has its fulcrum at the pin 43, and this fulcrum is operated by the diaphragm in the chamber 44 by means of the rod 45. The chamber is connected, by means of a pipe 46, with some point of the steam system of the boiler, such as the inlet of the superheater; and the lower part of the chamber of the casing 44, beneath the diaphragm therein, is connected, by means of a pipe 41, with some other point of the steam system, such as the outlet of the superheater.

In operation the differential steam pressure acting on the diaphragm operates the feed water valve 4U by means of the lever 42, the pin 48 then acting as the fulcrum. If the steam ow increases the differential pressure increases, the diaphragm and the pin 43 are lowered, lowering the arm 49 and opening more the valve 40. The

reverse process occurs when the steam flow decreases. When the water level in the boiler rises the pin 48 is raised, thus raising the arm 49 and closing more the valve 40.

Figs. to 7 illustrate another modification. In this case the valve 50, which feeds water to the boiler, is operated by fluid pressure, preferably hydraulic pressure. A piston 5|, playing in a cylinder 52, is connected, by means of a rod 53, with the plunger of the feed water valve 50. A pilot valve 54 allows, by means of fluid under pressure entering by the pipe 55 and passing out Iby the pipe 56, the piston 5| to control the opening of the valve 50. The opening of the pilot valve is controlled by means of a rod 51.

In this case any suitable type of feed water regulator which is responsive to some changing characteristic of the boiler system, such as the water level elevation in the boiler, is arranged to operate the valve 5B by means of the floating lever 58 and the strut 59. As the waterlevel rises the strut is elevated. This raises the pin 60 and also the pin 6|. This pin 6| is connected, by means of a link 62 and a pin 63, with another lever 64. This lever is connected, by means of a pin 65 and the rod 51, with the pilot valve. Hence, as the water level inthe boiler rises, the strut 59 and pins 68, 6|, 63 and 65 are raised, forcing upwardly the link 51 and opening more the pilot valve, allowing greater fluid pressure above the piston 5|, and thus closing more the valve 5D.

The differential steam pressure is arranged to affect the opening of the valve 50 by any means which are suitable, such as are herein described. I prefer, however, in this instance to provide the following means: In a casing 66 is a chamber 61 which is partitioned by means of a diaphragm 68 and a flexible casing 89. This casing 59 is closed at its upper end but open at its lower end, and it contains a spring which tends to force upwardly the upper end of the casing 69. The upper portion of the chamber 61 is connected with the steam system of the boiler by means of a pipe 1|, and the lower portion of the chamber 61 is connected to a lower pressure portion of the steam system by a pipe 12.

When the steam flow increases the differential steam pressure which is effective on the flexible casing 69, increases. This lowers the rod 13, which is connected to the top of the casing 89,

and it also lowers the arm 14. The arm 14 is connected with the arm 15, by means of the rod 16. The arm 15 is connected, by means of the link 11, with the lever 58. Hence as the arm 14 is lowered, the arm 15, also is lowered and the lever 58 is lowered, thus lowering the lever 64 and the pilot valve 54. This closes somewhat the pilot valve and opens more the valve 50.

As the valve 50 is operated in response to either the water level variations or the differential steam pressure variations, the rod 53 is operated accordingly, and this carries with it the end 18 of the lever 64, thus tending to neutralize and reverse the action of the apparatus on the pilot valve and thus also the effect on the piston 5| and the valve 50.

Fig. 8 illustrates another modification wherein the feed water valve 8| is responsive to the Water level variations by means of the thermostatic tube 82 conjointly with the steam flow variations through the superheater 83 by means of the diaphragm in the casing 84. The tube and the diaphragm act on the floating lever 85 to operate a pilot valve 86. This valve controls the uid pressure received through the pipe 81 and delivered through the pipe 88 to the diaphragm casing 89. The diaphragm in the casing 89 operates the feed water valve 8| by means of a rod 9U which operatively connects the diaphragm with the valve operating arm 9|. The details of the operation of this mechanism will be apparent from the foregoing descriptions of the other modifications.

Fig. 9 illustrates a further modification in which the thermostatic tube, or other feed water regulator, operates the feed valve while the differential pressure of the superheater or other portions of the steam system of the boiler operates the feed valve S6. These two valves are mounted in parallel in the feed water pipe 91 and hence each apparatus controls the Water feed according to the variations of the forces affecting the respective apparatus.

i I claim as my invention:

Ina boiler system, valve operating means for continuously controlling the flow of feed Water to the boiler, said means comprising a feed water valve,` a fluid pressure motor, a rod operably connecting the feed water valve and motor. a pilot valve controlling operation of said motor, a floating lever, means responsive to water level variations in the boiler connected to one point of the` lever, means responsive to steam flow variations in the system and operable independently of the water level responsive means connected to another point of the lever, a second lever connected to the floating lever at an intermediate point and to the rod, and the second lever being operably connected to the pilot valve whereby as the feed water valve is moved in a given direction by the motor the pilot valve is moved in a direction to reverse its action on the motor.

HARRY H. WEINING. 

